No Second Guesses
by SCIFIsh
Summary: This is about Tru Veld, Anakin's friend during most of his Padawan years, and how he dies during Ep. III
1. Second Thoughts

_**Disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters and affiliated resources are not mine. Please don't sue me.**_

_**A/N: This is about Tru Veld—obscure friend of Anakin. His flashback in this chapter is based on a book in the Jedi Quest series…just in case someone thinks it sounds familiar, it is. So yeah, R+R, and enjoy! Please excuse my lack of literary talent…thanks.**_

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**Chapter One: Second Thoughts**

Newly Knighted Tru Veld strode down the softly lit corridors of the Jedi Temple on his way to get his Padawan braid shaved. His robes swooshed softly as he walked and pondered what had happened just minutes before…

xxx

Ry-Gaul had said, "We're going to the Council Room…the Councilwishes to see you."

"What?"

Ry-Gaul, being the man of few words he was, just smiled. But his gray eyes were shining—not with tears, but with pride.

He remembered wondering, _so why is Ry-Gaul so happy?_

Confused, he'd walked into the Council Room, exactly a step behind his Master, just as every time before. All he knew was that he and his Master had returned from a successful mission to Cloud City with flying colors just yesterday. All he'd expected was a "good job" and/or a "here is your next mission," even though all he wanted was time to rest.

Ever since the start of the Clone Wars, missions came one right after the other, with a few days' rest, at most, in between. Long rests at the Temple had become scarce to most Jedi; only the medics, archivists, and younglings enjoyed the privilege of Temple stays—even the guardians and teachers of the younglings were getting called away from time to time. And sometimes, even the medics and archivists were obliged to leave the Temple for some Senator or other.

_Odd…in my Padawan days, we wanted more missions. Now, all we want is peace and rest_.

But now, here he was, a full Jedi Knight—courtesy of the Council.

_At least it wasn't another mission._

He and Ry-Gaul had entered the Council Room, and to his surprise, all twelve seats were actually filled—filled with the physical presence of each Master who held that seat—not with a hologram. What was it Master Windu had said?

"The Council has decided that you are now ready to become a Jedi Knight."

Yoda had continued, "Passed your examinations, you have. A Knight now, you are."

xxx

Knight Tru Veld smiled. He was on his own now, free to make his own decisions, free to choose his actions, and free of the troublesome Padawan braid that occasionally whip lashed his face when it grew too long. His smile stretched into a grin.

_Now I can get a Padawan and watch him/her/it fiddle with the braid!_ Suddenly, his grin became a frown. _Is the Council really sure that I can actually do this? Do I really want to train someone to become stronger in the Force? Can I even keep myself outta trouble?_

His mind flashed back to several years before…

xxx

He and Ry-Gaul, along with three other Master-Padawan duos, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, Soara Antana and Darra Thel-Tanis, and Siri Tachi and Ferus Olin were after a wanted criminal, Granta Omega, the son of a fallen Jedi.

_Funny…that's when we had enough Jedi for back-ups and double-teams, and that was only a couple years ago._

On that mission, his lightsaber had shorted out.

It had shorted before…but Anakin and I fixed it. Why didn't I go to Ry-Gaul then? 

Instead of doing the right thing and going directly to Ry-Gaul, he had chosen to tell Ferus.

_It was just because I was scared to be left behind on a mission. I put myself first…and not the mission._

Against the Jedi Code, which required a faulty lightsaber to be reported immediately to the Master, Tru had chosen to conceal the fact and go to another Padawan…twice.

_And again, against the Jedi Code, I put myself—and not the mission—first._

He and Ferus had repaired it, but again, this time in the midst of battle, it had shorted out. Ferus, one to be noble to the end, gave his lightsaber to Tru and took the faulty lightsaber.

_All this… so I could stay in one piece? Huh, I think I'd rather be wounded or dead if everything else didn't happen._

Then, a deadly blaster bullet had fired, going straight for Ferus with a powerless lightsaber.

_It wasn't his fault—I should never have allowed him to take back my lightsaber._ _I should've been the one to be shot._

But instead, Darra, his best friend other than Anakin, valiantly sacrificed her life for Ferus'. As a result, there was one less Padawan, one less future Knight for the Order, and one less friend. And as if that wasn't enough, Ferus had left the Order, resulting in another Padawan gone, another future Knight gone, and another friend…gone.

_All this…was because of my choice_.

Furthermore, Anakin apparently had known about the defect, and was mad that Tru had gone to Ferus instead of him!

_And then I broke off our friendship_—_just because I was annoyed at Anakin's jealousy. The closest friendship I ever had—my best friend—gone…because I chickened… and made a stupid choice_.

What happened was not anybody's fault except his. And though they had cornered Omega, and though Obi-Wan had killed Omega and purged the Republic of one of the most dangerous criminals in the Republic's history, to Tru, the whole mission was a failure.

_Sure, most of it was exciting, most of it was good, but was the elimination of an outlaw really worth losing Darra, Ferus, and Anakin? I don't think so._

Tru sighed. _Might as well stop thinking now—I shouldn't belabor something unchangeable_.

xxx

**_A/N: Yes, a horrible way to end a chapter—but wait, there's more! If you read the next chapter when I upload it, you will get more of the story absolutely FREE! Of course, this offer does not include the charges your Internet Service Provider gives you for being online. ANYWAY, please R+R my next chapter…when I upload it. Thanks!_**


	2. Doubts Don't Matter

**_Disclaimer: As stated in Chapter One, Star Wars, its characters, and its affiliated resources are NOT MINE. However, the characters of Rynna+Raes Niq, T'well, and Yonnar are very much mine. Thanks._**

**_A/N: Shoeanders and Alley, thanks for the reviews. Here's Chapter Two._**

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**Chapter Two: Doubts Don't Matter**

But apparently, everyone except him had gotten over that series of regrettable events, because here he was—a Jedi Knight.

_If the Council thinks I'm ready, then I am_.

Suddenly, a youngling bounded around the corner and slammed into him, interrupting his thoughts and sending him backward. With a Force-leap and a twist after the youngling, he landed right in front of the still-running child. Quickly, he grabbed the youngling's shoulders and looked him in the eye.

With a surprised look, he recognized the face of Raes Niq, the little brother of his still-Padawan friend Rynna.

"Raes Niq," Tru said with the slightest sternness in his voice.

Now that he was a Knight, he'd have to act like one. He wasn't about to whiff his first chance of a proper response, even if it was to a mere youngling.

"Hey, Tru! Why are you being _th_o _th_eriou_th_?" grinned the six-year-old boy, revealing two lost teeth. Seeing the stern look on Tru's face, Raes sobered and quickly lisped, "_Th_orry about that, but I'm gonna be late for light_th_aber cla_th_ with Ma_th_ter Windu."

"Master Windu? How could you 'almost be late'? Nobody is 'almost late' for Master Windu's classes…everybody is always nearly a half-hour early!"

Even with the boy's sincerity, Tru was positive that the boy wasn't going anywhere special… he probably just didn't want to be caught in the middle of a game of freeze tag—a game outlawed anywhere in the Temple other than the youngling's playrooms and the Jedi's training rooms. He knew from personal experience and inwardly cringed at that embarrassing memory. Master Depa Billaba had caught him running—and he was sentenced to floor maintenance for a week. Tru quickly pushed that thought aside before he flushed pink.

"So just why were you running?" he prodded.

"Okay, okay. I'm _th_orry. I wa_th_ playing free_the_ tag with T'well and Yonnar. Plea_th_e don't tell—I wa_th_n't trying to run into you. Plea_th_e don't tell!" The little boy was on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry, I won't—not this time." It was all Tru could do to smother a burst of laughter. He decided to dismiss the youngling ASAP before he blew his Knightly propriety. "Just don't play in the halls anymore, and you'll be off the hook. Otherwise, you're bantha fodder."

"I won't. Hey, would you like one of Rynna'_th_ roll_th_?" Raes pulled a muja roll from his tunic pocket. "I _th_aved it from lunch, but you can have it."

Tru wasn't hungry and was sure this was a just-in-case bribe.

_My stars, this kid is smart. Offer the superior something when you're caught and endear yourself, and you ensure your chances of getting off the hook._

He really didn't want to take the roll, but…

_Rynna made this! How can I refuse?_

He also remembered an old saying—_when food arrives, eat_.

But Tru decided to be noble. _I'm not taking a bribe_.

"No thank you, Raes—I'm not hungry. But remember what I said, okay?"

"Okay," said Raes with just a hint of dejection, but it was gone almost instantly.

This kid hides his feelings well… he'll make a good Jedi someday.

Tru saw that the little boy was a bit disappointed. But just because this was his friend's little brother, he said softly, "Don't worry. You can give me one another time." And even softer, in a near whisper, he said, "And don't be bothered… your secret is safe with me. Just don't do anymore hall-running, okay?"

Almost immediately, Raes brightened. "Okay!"

"Good. Now get somewhere else and stay outta trouble. I have some things to attend to."

"_Th_ee you around!" With a smile and a wave the youngling bounded around the corner and out of sight.

Tru smiled as he continued walking. He also that Raes didn't call him "Master Veld." Obviously, his title change hadn't become known yet, nor had his Padawan braid been shaved. He raised an eyebrow. But did he _really_ want to be known as a Knight?

He began to ponder as he walked, to meditate on the pros and cons of Knighthood.

xxx

As a Knight, of course he'd have advanced privileges from a Padawan. Seeing eye-to-eye with other Knights, for one. But he'd also have more responsibilities.

_Maybe I should ask the Council to put off my Knighthood until when I believe I'm ready._ Tru quickly shook his head. _What am I doing? I was so sure of myself as a Padawan! I was always confident before that mission!_

That mission. Again, his thoughts had returned to the loss of Ferus, Darra, and Anakin.

Where is my confidence going? Yoda's always said, 'There is no try; there is only do'… so why am so unstable? Ry-Gaul chose me as his Padawan largely because of my confident manner—he said so! Am I letting him down?

As every second of his thoughts passed, Tru realized he was second-guessing himself more and more. He was scared. Scared of failing, scared of mistakes, but most of all, scared of the future. To top it all off, he could almost say that the Dark Side of the Force was gaining ground every day—by the second. Tru wasn't positive, but he was almost definite.

_I know I've moved on… but why am I second-guessing myself so much now?_ Ever since "that mission", and especially after his Knighting, Tru felt his confidence slipping just a little bit… every day.

xxx

_So… do I want to be a Knight? I'm sure I could become Ry-Gaul's Padawan again—so what if that's never been done before? I'm pretty sure the Council would allow it—they're the ones who are always concerned about "not rushing."_

Abruptly, Tru stopped and smacked his forehead hard. Out loud but under his breath, he said to himself, "Tru Veld! Snap out of it! The Council made you a Knight, they're not rushing it, they're sure you can succeed, and you should think the same way! You are going to stay a Knight, and that's the end of it!"

Thus, Tru convinced himself. _I'm going to stay a Knight, and that's the end of my doubts._ He vowed that he would never doubt his Knighthood again, a vow that would soon be broken.

xxx

**_A/N: You made it through lisping Raes! Congrats! And Chapter Three is coming up... bon apetite!_**


	3. A Job

**Chapter Three: A Job**

"Master Veld, please report to the Council Room. Master Veld, to the Council Room." The metallic announcement blared through the speakers, waking most of the sleeping Jedi in the Temple. Tru groaned. With a good measure of willpower, he rolled out of his sleep couch and rubbed his eyes. When he'd gained some measure of consciousness, he glared up at the intercom speaker with a look that could kill, and glanced at his timedroid.

_0530? This early? I should've kept my comlink on._

Out loud, he muttered, "Well, that settles it—I'm officially a Knight!" He rolled his eyes as he dressed quickly and put himself to rights. He grabbed a bag of muja candy off his workbench and ate a couple pieces.

_Maybe it's a little early to eat this stuff, but some things never change, Knight or no Knight._

Ever since he was little, he'd eaten some kind of candy before breakfast—just for a sugar rush.

Come on… I need energy! 

But the energy he'd waited for didn't come.

Guess I should graduate to energy drinks? 

With a sigh, Tru tucked the rest of the candy into his tunic pocket and quietly strode out the door to the turbolift in the direction of the Council room, leaving the sounds of awakening Jedi behind.

_This better be important… I don't want to be responsible for waking everyone up._

Tru smiled wryly as he thought of the confrontations he'd probably be making later in the day.

xxx

When Tru approached the Council Room, he saw Ali Alaan standing just outside the door.

Wryly, Tru smiled when he saw the also-sleepy look on Alaan's face. But his smile was taken from him when he realized that there was no blaringly loud announcement for Alaan—obviously, he had his comlink on.

They exchanged bows, and when Tru raised an eyebrow, Alaan just smiled.

Tru proceeded to furrow both his silver-gray brows, giving Alaan the unspoken query of _what's going on?_

In return, Alaan gave Tru a smile and a shrug.

Tru made no further facial questions, but understood that Alaan meant that the Council wished to see them both, and that Alaan had no better idea than he did of what was going on. Inwardly, he smiled that the Council had chosen to respect him by not informing Alaan before him, even though Alaan had the rank of "Master."

xxx

When they entered, Tru held himself a little straighter, and stood beside Alaan in the center of the Council Room. Amused, he noticed that the stern faces of the Council Members were not just serious; they were the masks of sleepy Jedi.

_Glad I'm not the only one_.

Alaan and Tru both bowed to the Council, which nodded in acknowledgment of the two Jedi. Master Yoda broke the silence.

"Master Alaan."

Alaan nodded and looked the little green gnome-like revered alien in the eye, signifying that he was awake and listening at such an hour in the morning.

"A task for you, we have. Difficult indeed, it is. Elaborate, Master Windu will. Master Windu?"

Though the words spoken were directed at Alaan, both he and Tru both turned in position slightly, to face the dark-skinned Jedi.

"Senator Gorqua M'bii has requested personal protection for the Senatorial elections in two days. As you may have heard, there is an increasing bounty on his head, for he knows the location of mother lode of his planet's precious crystals. Master Alaan, due to the increasingly thin ranks of Jedi, you have been chosen to be Senator M'bii's bodyguard. This assignment will be a short one, for the elections will soon be over. Will you accept?"

Alaan hesitated, thinking of the clan of younglings he was responsible for.

Apparently, the Council had already given this thought. Master Adi Gallia spoke up.

"Do not fret over your clan. This is why we requested the presence of Tru Veld."

At the mention of his name, Tru straightened considerably, and his silver skin flushed a faint metallic pink. He realized that his mind had been a bit unfocused, mostly from his lack of sleep.

Ki-Adi Mundi spoke up, addressing Tru. "You have been chosen by the Council to temporarily replace Master Alaan as caretaker of his clan until he finishes his assignment. His clan is small, so you should not have trouble. We have chosen you for your sound judgment." There were nods all around in the Council Room. Tru wasn't sure if they were nods of consensus or nods of sleep-craving Jedi, but he decided to take the former option. Mundi continued, "Do you accept?"

Sound judgment? I don't know about that… 

Out loud, Tru answered. "Yes."

Yoda must have sensed Tru's apprehension, for he said, "There is no try, there is only do. Truly ready for this, you do believe you are?"

That completed the decision-making for Tru. "Yes," he answered.

Windu spoke again. "Then it is settled."

Yoda concluded, "You are now temporary caretaker of Master Alaan's clan. Master Alaan, your shuttle will arrive shortly. May the Force be with you both."

"May the Force be with you," echoed Tru and Alaan.

xxx

When the two Jedi left the Council Room, Tru headed for the younglings' quarters and Alaan headed for the shuttle bay. Tru heard Alaan sigh.

_Bet he's not looking forward to Senate duty…I know I'm not looking forward to babysitting. Maybe I should ask the Council to switch the assignment? _

But an assignment was an assignment, and their duty had to be done.

_Whether we like it or not, I guess the Council has it set in stone._

Tru braced himself, knowing that the absence of the younglings' caretaker would only increase the ruckus the little ones would cause.

Well, here goes nothing… 


	4. Parting and Babysitting

**_A/N: This is the longest chapter and it has lots of dialogue, but read carefully and you'll get all of it :smile:_**

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**Chapter Four: Parting and Babysitting**

Tru closed his eyes in the Room of a Thousand fountains. Here he was, relaxing by his favorite fountain, with a whole 1800 seconds all to himself. He folded his hands behind his head, and twisted his feet into an odd loop that looked most uncomfortable.

_Eh, the 143rd good thing about being a Teevan: Twist your arms and legs in whatever position, and it doesn't hurt._

Tru settled next to "his" fountain, a sigh of content escaping his lips. Here was silence, a welcome break from the younglings he'd just put down for a nap. Two days into his assignment, and he was not enjoying any of it. Sure, they were cute, but they were brats.

_I guess they're like Ewoks…they're at their cutest when they're asleep and not trying to kill you._

Tru cringed at the memory of a youngling grabbing at his lightsaber…

xxx

"Master Tru, can I play with your lightsaber?"

"No, it's not a toy—a lightsaber is a weapon, not something to play with."

"Pleeeeeaaaaasssseeeee? I promise I'll be careful!" The youngling was whining now.

"I'm sorry, you can't. Why don't you wait until you can begin lightsaber training?

"NO!" the youngling's voice had risen to a wail. "I want it NOW!"

Eventually, the pleading and the refusals became an intense game of keep-away. Tru, having his hands full with the other younglings, had no time to gently push the youngling away or move his lightsaber to where the youngling couldn't get it. The youngling, on the other hand, kept pushing and shoving for a chance to press a button on the lightsaber.

Finally, there was a split-second of time as the youngling prepared to make a final leap. But a split-second was all Tru needed. He quickly moved his hand to grab his lightsaber, but being as tired as he was, caught the youngling in mid-air with a backhanded slap.

_And that's a good thing I did._

For the youngling, in his determination, had nearly succeeded in activating the lightsaber, which would have at least swiped off Tru's arm, or worse, sliced off Tru's upper body.

_Definitely not looking forward to that again._

xxx

He pushed the thought from his mind, determined to rest up as much as he could during his remaining 1600 or so seconds.

"Master Veld!" Tru turned at the sound of his name. He glanced around the Fountains, and spotted Rynna waving at him from "her" spot, and making her way to him.

"Hey, Rynna…What's going on?" he asked.

"Hey, you can't call me 'hey, Rynna' anymore—I've just been Knighted!" she said with a grin.

"Well, congratulations! No more Padawan braid, eh?"

"I'm not so sure… I kind of liked it."

"Not me. It always whip lashed my face when it got too long."

"You're such a guy."

"You're such a girl—you redid it all the time with different colors of cloth woven in!"

"Okay, you win. But admit it, they looked pretty good."

"Uh-huh. But I'm still glad mine is gone and over with."

"I guess I'm sort of glad mine's gone too… Hello, Knighthood!"

"But Knighthood isn't what it used to be," Tru admitted with a weak laugh. "Look at me—been a Knight for a few days, and what am I doing? Babysitting younglings who are picky down to the color of the bacta I put on their scraped knees."

Rynna laughed. "Makes you want to be a Padawan again, eh?"

A pang inside Tru caused a brief expression of sorrow on his face. With a forced naturalness, he replied, "Yeah."

Apparently, Rynna didn't notice. She continued teasingly, "At least _I_ have a chance of a mission."

At that, Tru had to laugh. He teased right back, "Are you sure? I thought we Jedi just wanted rest."

Rynna gave Tru a playful shove, nearly pushing Tru into the nearby water. "Shoveling bantha fodder is better than babysitting!"

"Well… maybe I wouldn't go that far." The two friends laughed, easing the tension from Tru's shoulders.

Unexpectedly, a Beep-Beep-Beep and a Buzz sounded from Rynna's pocket. She took out her comlink to the image of her ex-Master with a raised eyebrow. "Oops. I have to get to the Council Room for some kind of briefing or something…later." With a smile and a wave, Rynna walked away from the Fountains.

"May the Force be with you," called Tru.

"May the Force be with you," answered Rynna.

_Another mission, no doubt_, thought Tru with a sigh.

The tension in his muscles returned. And although he couldn't determine why, he felt a sense of foreboding about Rynna's Knighthood. Rynna was his best friend outside of his now-gone inner circle—Anakin, Darra, and Ferus.

_I hope nothing happens to her._

He rubbed his face, hoping to snap himself out of his uneasy mood.

_I wish I had her energy._

He shrugged off his apprehension.

_Probably parting pains,_ he thought.

Parting had never been easy—he just made it look that way for the sake of others. He ran his hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and used the Force to calm his nerves; for once again, Darra's death, Ferus' departure, the friendship break between himself and Anakin, and other deaths of friends—Jedi and non-Jedi alike—had come to his mind.

_Uggh… not again, I've gotten over this!_

He vowed, for the billionth time since Darra's death that he would make his choices and choose his actions unselfishly. And for the hundredth time since he became a Knight, he broke his I-won't-regret-Knighthood vow and wished that he were still a Padawan…

With a sigh, he walked away from the relaxing Fountains and toward the coming chaos of the younglings' room.

_The younglings are going to wake up soon. Great. Tru Veld, the Nursemaid Knight._

xxx

Tru forced a smile down at the little group huddled around his legs.

_I hope we can refill our ranks soon… we can't be spread out this thin much longer_. _I hope Master Alaan comes back soon… I have real respect for him now… how does he put up with these little ones?_

But now, his attention was focused on the little group of four-to-six-year-olds, and trying to answer all 36589 of their questions all at once…

"Master Veld, what does a macrofuser do?" a little one would ask.

"I'll tell you later," was his blunt response.

"Master Veld, we want some muja candy!" begged two others.

"Sorry, I'm all out!" Tru was lying through his teeth—he always had plenty to spare.

"Master Veld, he hit me!" another would cry out.

"It wasn't on purpose and he said he was sorry."

"Master Veld, can we go outside?"

"No, it's pouring rain! Maybe when it's dry."

"Master Veld, how does a comlink work?"

"You'll learn when you enter Tech 1."

"Master Veld, is Master Windu really 100 years old?"

"Where did you hear that?" was the incredulous reply.

"Master Veld, teach me to build a lightsaber!" one of the bolder ones would demand.

Tru stared for a moment at the irrational youngling. "How about you wait until you're a Padawan?"

"I can be your Padawan!"

"Yeah, can one of us be your Padawan?"

"I'm gonna be his Padawan!"

xxx

_Master Veld, Master Veld, Master Veld!_ The incessant noise was driving him insane. The constant shouts and pleas of the younglings were swimming in his head. Tru doubted he could handle the pressure much longer.

_I'll be the happiest Teevan alive when Master Alaan gets back._ The ruckus of the younglings snapped him back to reality.

"Alright! Everybody be quiet!" The loudness of his shout and the frustration in his voice stunned everyone in the room into being quiet.

_Wow… I didn't know I had it in me. Then again, I never imagined myself babysitting._

But his hold on their attention was slipping fast.

_C'mon, Tru, think fast—what games do younglings like to play? Right! Freeze tag! _

"Okay guys, we're gonna play freeze tag!" The room erupted with squeaks, shouts, disturbing noises, and other sounds of excited younglings from various species. "But remember, no hair/fur pulling, no Force-pushing, or anything like that. You can only run and tag. Got it?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, we know!"

"Let's play already!"

"Okay, then, I'm it!" Tru's abrupt declaration produced even louder screams, shouts, disturbing noises, and the like. With a good measure of willpower, he controlled himself from "freezing" every youngling for the sake of peace and quiet.

_I'll just let them run until they burn off their energy. Then, it'll be naptime!_ Tru smiled from ear to ear.

But it was not to be that easy.

The more they run, the more energy they seem to get, and the more energy they have, the louder they scream. Uh-oh. This is not good… At least the walls are virtually soundproof!

Fearing that he'd soon lose his sanity and his hearing, he summoned the Force for endurance, and called out, "Last one asleep is rotting bantha fodder!"

And faster than anyone could say, "I am a Jedi," the younglings dropped to the floor and were asleep almost instantly.

_That's right. Sleep away, little younglings. _

Tru smiled a smile of victory as he relished the last bag of muja candy that he'd kept from the younglings.

_At last! Peace and quiet!_

But not for long…


	5. Attacks and Encounter

**Chapter Five: Attacks and Encounter**

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The sounds of the Temple under attack were not pretty. Almost immediately, the younglings were startled awake. The four-year-olds started to cry.

_Oh, great. This is just what I need. Just when I start understanding these kids, the Temple is under attack! And what am I doing? Standing around with crying kids. Wonderful._

Tru pushed his thoughts out of his head and turned his energy to protecting the younglings.

Suddenly, Tru felt his knees buckled and his breath was sucked out of him, almost as if a window had broken in space. He fell to the floor, unable to stop his fall. His jaw smacked into the hard floor. Even though the floor was covered with bantha-wool rugs, the floor was still hard.

_Thank the stars for bantha-wool rugs…_ Even so, Tru could taste the blood in his mouth.

_Noooo!_ Tru felt the deaths of his Rynna, his Master, and hundreds of other Jedi he knew. He closed his eyes, bidding a final farewell through the Force to his Jedi friends, and a special one to his Master. Similarly, some of the six-year-olds who were stronger in the Force had fallen to the ground, holding their heads. Slowly, he stood up, tears stinging his eyes and threatening to spill out.

_No, I must be strong…for the little ones._

He breathed in deeply and tried to relax. But even though he regained his composure as fast as he could, it still took a few minutes before he could speak clearly.

Scooping up the youngest two, he told the rest of the group, "Come on, we gotta go." Seeing the urgency of the situation, the younglings followed him into the Archives, one of the safest places in the Temple.

_Hopefully they'll be safe here until the attack stops; I can't do anything to get all of them out_.

Tru divided them into groups of two or three, and gently pushed the younglings into the less-obvious corners of the Archives in various locations, hoping all the while that whoever was attacking wouldn't find them there. As he hid each little group, he warned them all to stay hidden, quiet, and still. When the last of the younglings was tucked away, Tru himself stood guard atop a high shelf inside the locked door, with his left hand on his lightsaber hilt and eyes watching for movement.

Suddenly, the metal began peeling away. _No way… that could only be…a lightsaber_.

In horror, Tru watched a blue-white blade cut through the durasteel door, and a cloaked figure peel back the metal. The figure stepped inside and deactivated the lightsaber. Shocked, Tru realized, _this is why we're under attack—this is a fallen Jedi—and he wants to kill the Jedi_.

He discarded his cloak, leaped from the shelf and activated his lightsaber, all in one smooth motion.

Vwoom! The figure turned and re-ignited his own lightsaber so swiftly that their blades clashed while Tru was still in midair.

Kssshhh! The sabers hummed and clashed, and though the style of the intruder was familiar, Tru couldn't piece together the attacker's identity.

_I've fought him before, but…who is he? _After a few more violent thrusts and parries, the intruder flipped his lightsaber to his left hand to imitate Tru's style, a trick Tru had seen only in one person before. _NO! It can't be!_

"Anakin!" Tru's voice betrayed his surprise. _This is Anakin! We were friends!_

"Tru Veld…we meet again," came the voice. Kssshhh! The lightsabers clashed, sending sparks everywhere.

"Anakin—what are you doing?" Buzz, hmm. Already, though being the flexible Teevan that he was, Tru felt his muscles aching and his skin perspiring.

"I am Anakin no longer… I am Darth Vader." Kssshhh! Their lightsabers clashed again.

"Anakin! You've turned to the Sith! Why?" Vmm! Tru carefully circled his opponent, just like in old days.

"You! The Jedi! All of you!" His voice rose to a snarl. "All of you! You've all turned against the Republic; you've turned against me! You've turned against the Chancellor!" His voice became a scream. "You will pay for your treachery!" He launched another attack, so fast that the lightsabers became just a blur.

_This leaves me no choice… no, I can't! _But deep down, he knew that he only had one choice—to kill Anakin. Ironically, he'd wished that someone else could make his choices—but now, he wasn't so sure.

"Anakin! What are you saying?" Kssshhh! "We have done nothing! You're becoming a madman!"

"You will pay." A surge of both sides of the Force nearly caused the Archives to shake. Both men were sweating hard now, but neither would give up.

Tru summoned all of his courage. "Anakin! Don't make me kill you!" His sweat trickled down his silver skin. He felt the salt of his sweat drip into his eyes, and he blinked as hard as he could to get rid of the irritation. "Anakin, don't make me do it! I don't want to kill you!"

"Kill me? What makes you think you can do that?" Though he was dripping sweat from the exertion, Vader laughed evilly. "I have become stronger since we parted, and you cannot kill me!"

"Anakin, I don't want to kill you! You were my friend!"

"Were?" Suddenly, Vader's attack stopped and deactivated his lightsaber, though Tru kept himself on guard. Vader's face betrayed a look of surprise. "I never threw you away. _You_ threw _me_ away. But that doesn't matter now!"

_Did I cause this? Was I a factor in his leaving?_

Almost as if he'd read Tru's mind, Vader hissed, "Yes, you dismembered our friendship. But that wasn't why I left the Jedi. My eyes were opened to the fact that the Dark Side has more power! The Dark Side is the right side!"

Now it was Tru's turn to be surprised, and he also turned off his lightsaber. He panted out, "You turned to the Dark Side, so I can't be your ally if you're with the Sith! Don't you get it? I can only be on your side if we're on the same side!"

Vader laughed again. "Of course we can't be on different sides. That's why I'm asking you now: Will you join me in the Dark Side? Together with Emperor Palpatine, we can rule the galaxy!"

Tru was incredulous. "Emperor Palpatine? Are you saying the Emperor is the Sith Lord?" Tru was both shocked and horrified.

"Oh, yes. But of course, you wouldn't know." Vader's voice rose to a shout. "You and the Jedi have corrupted the Republic!" Vwoom! Vader reignited his lightsaber and lunged at Tru's head. Tru was so drained and in such a state of shock that he just barely activated and parried Vader's attack in time to avoid being decapitated. Again, the Force surged on both sides. Both men had tapped into their near-last reserves of strength.

"For the last time, Anakin!" Tru's strength was near-drained, and he could barely get the words out as he parried and returned Vader's lightsaber slashes. "The Jedi are not corrupted! What are you thinking! It is the Dark Side that is corrupt! Palpatine has corrupted your mind!"

"Do not call the Emperor corrupt!" Vader's voice became a scream. His attack intensified. "The Dark Side of the Force is what the galaxy needs! The weakness of the Jedi is their complacency! You don't even want to kill me! The Dark Side is the right side!"

"Anakin, you are wrong! The Dark Side is EVIL!"

"You are WRONG! You have spoken your last!"

"Wha—" Tru's words were cut short. Buzzzzzzz! A current of lightning from Vader's fingertips crashed into Tru, sending him flying back into a shelf full of holodisks, all of which fell on top and around him. Tru felt his blood stream down his face. But he couldn't move; his arms were pinned by the holodisks. And he had no strength left to move them. As the lightning coursed through his body, he screamed in agony.

"AAAAAHHHH! AAAAAAHHHH! ANAKIN! STOP!" Despite his pleas, the lightning increased, virtually frying every millimeter of his body. Memories flooded back into Tru's head of the end of their friendship. As the lightning drained the very last of his energy, he gasped out, "Anakin… I'm… sorry… forgive… me…"

"NOO! You had your chance! You threw me away! You are weak! Just like the other Jedi—you are all WEAK! Now, you will pay with your life!" But the lightning stopped.

"Anakin," Tru gasped, "I'm sorry, _my friend_. Return to the Jedi!" As weak as he was, Tru was determined to set things right. He had no choice. He couldn't second-guess himself any longer. He was going to die; he knew it. But he needed to die nobly. However, Vader wouldn't take it.

"LIAR!" shouted Vader. "YOU WILL DIE!" He raised his lightsaber one more time, and brought it down.

 **End **

**_A/N: Tear Tru's dead! (I know, I know, duh...) I can't believe it... I made my favorite character die first! Oh well... saves me the speculation... anyway, hope you enjoyed this fic... _**

**_A/N #2: Coming Soon! (hopefully)... Sometime in July, I should have how Ry-Gaul (Tru's ex-Master) dies. Well, it's either gonna be him, Soara, or Siri. Anyways, expect somethin' soon! _**

**_A/N #3 (Final Note!): Thanks to my betas, SteveWraith and Shoeanders... you guys rock! And thanks to my reviewers--you're all awesome! Keep up with your fanfics! ...'till next time, Scifish._**


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